Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 556 Who spread the Dao in ancient times? Women attending the gathering are a nuisance!
This skill has ancient origins and was not created in later generations. It was actually passed down from ancient times when the Dao Ling Sect was founded.

[It is said to have been written by the ancient Daoist Dexing, a true cultivator who attained enlightenment.]

In ancient times, the title "Taoist" was extraordinary; only those with great destiny dared to use it. Anyone who called themselves a Taoist was invariably the founder of a school of thought, the originator of a Taoist lineage, and a benefactor to all living beings.

[Later generations of cultivators speculated that such a person's cultivation level was above the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao, reaching an inconceivable realm.]

Among the Taoist titles recorded in the Taoist canon today, the most renowned are the Five Elements Taoist, the Mountain-Moving Taoist, the Four Seas Taoist, the Yin-Yang Taoist, and the Qiankun Taoist.

At the very least, the lineage of Fangcun Mountain's ancestors was based on a Taoist priest.

However, as time passed and the world changed, many Taoist lineages have been lost to history. Even worse, the names of some Taoists only exist in the texts of collateral branches, their original lineages long since severed.

[The main reason is that the previous generation experienced the end of the Dharma era, and now the spiritual tide is just beginning to rise, which is equivalent to the interruption of the cultivation lineage.]

[A prominent Daoist cultivator speculates that the ancient era was a golden age of cultivation, but the period between the ancient and the preceding medieval era also encompassed the Great Calamity of the Dharma's Decline.]

[Ancient times, medieval times, primordial times, the primordial era, the beginning of time... the further back we go, the more eons are marked by a cataclysmic catastrophe.]

The way cultivators of ancient times viewed those of the Middle Ages is like how we view the ancient times today.

Moreover, looking back at the medieval era with modern eyes is like trying to see flowers through a fog—vague and elusive.

You calm your mind and re-examine the "Scripture of the Revolve of the Five Virtues of Heaven" in your hands.

Its meaning is profound and mysterious. The five elements of heaven and earth circulate, reaching their peak and then declining, declining and then rising again, ultimately forming countless eons; yet within these eons, there is also the vitality of life, with the five innate virtues mutually generating and restraining each other, in a continuous cycle.

To avoid misfortune and disaster, one should cultivate the Five Virtues and Five Elements, follow the will of Heaven and act on behalf of Heaven to punish.

[If this skill is mastered, the body will become one with nature, and all movements will follow its principles: in anger, it will be like thunder from the heavens, annihilating all evil; in stillness, it will be like a gentle spring breeze, nourishing all things. Its power will be perfectly integrated and flawless, allowing one to maintain peak condition at all times and in all places, invincible.]

That Nine Yang True Man, Bao Hong, had already cultivated this scripture to an unprecedented and unparalleled level since the founding of the Dao Ling Sect.

This is no exaggeration. The contemporary cultivation world universally acknowledges that the Nine Yang Immortal is truly the foremost figure of the righteous path in six thousand years.

This unparalleled master once ventured alone to the East Sea, battled a three-headed dragon, and returned unscathed.

[Furthermore, upon the vast expanse of blue waves, he left behind that unparalleled declaration that captivated the hearts and minds of cultivators throughout the land—]

"Alas, I have cultivated for seven hundred years, who can rival me? I have never suffered a defeat."

[If we were to name the person most admired by the disciples of the righteous path, it would undoubtedly be the Nine Yang Immortal. Since his sudden emergence, he has overshadowed the younger generation of the nine major righteous sects, causing them all to bow down in submission.]

[He encountered no rivals, faced no calamities, and encountered no bottlenecks along the way, rising rapidly until he finally attained the realm of a supreme grandmaster.]

In your opinion, this book, *The Scripture of the Reincarnation of the Five Virtues*, is of great merit, much like "the foundation of a great building, providing a solid base."

Of course, this doesn't prove that this skill is invincible; at least when you open the next jade slip, this claim will be refuted.

[Then the heretical Pure Yang Master took a different approach, using the concept of "pure Yang in Heaven and Earth" to deconstruct the Dao. This master highly praised the ancient Yin-Yang Daoists, believing that the transformation of Yin and Yang was the origin of the Great Dao.]

The term "Pure Yang" does not refer to the simple cultivation of kidneys by mortals, but rather to a broader method of cultivating Pure Yang within the vast universe. It divides ancient times into two eras: the Pure Yang Era when the Heavenly Emperor descended to earth, a time of abundant Yang energy; and the Lesser Yang Era after the Heavenly Emperor's fall, a time when Yin and Yang began to separate and various schools of thought contended.

Its "Pure Yang Technique" points directly to the origin, advocating that cultivators should practice the Heavenly Emperor's Law, which is the Pure Yang Law, rather than being bound by the acquired Yin-Yang changes.

This practice almost entirely overturns the theories of the "Innate Five Virtues Revolving Scripture," interpreting heaven and earth through a completely different approach.

[Both profound martial arts techniques, when cultivated to their peak, almost always produce masters at the pinnacle of their time; the Nine Yang True Man and the Pure Yang True Man are both clear examples.]

However, it remains difficult to determine who is right and who is wrong, who is superior and who is inferior.

Even if Pure Yang Master and Nine Yang Master personally engage in a duel, it proves nothing.

[In your opinion, both are correct, or neither is correct. After all, the universe does indeed undergo countless cycles of rebirth, with its ebb and flow of calamities and the alternation of yin and yang. However, the universe encompasses the three thousand realms of the Great Luo, nurturing all living beings; how can it be fully described?]

[You've gradually come to realize that these profound techniques, at their core, are still cultivators' explanations and understanding of the world, or perhaps a supplement to the boundless Dao of Heaven?]

[We can learn from others' experiences to improve ourselves!]

[Joy is gradually appearing in your eyes, which is exactly what you need. To forge your own path is the fundamental cultivation of a Golden Core cultivator.]

Pursuing and promoting the ways of others may seem like a shortcut, but can this path truly lead to heaven?

This is also a consensus among ancient cultivators or those with profound Daoist skills; or perhaps, the highest realm is when one's Dao can "cover the truth"—the unity of Dao.

However, it seems that such a being has never existed in this world before. Even legendary deities such as the Heavenly Emperor, the Human Emperor, and the Jade Emperor have never accomplished this.

Thus, since the beginning of chaos and the primordial era, every living being that has awakened intelligence has posed an age-old question—

Who is preaching?

In the beginning of time, there was a saying that the "Tao" existed beyond the thirty-three heavens. Since the Tao did not exist in the world, how could it come into existence?

The only way is to ascend to heaven and retrieve it.

[Therefore, some beings ascended to heaven, or rather, challenged heaven, and thus the Dao descended to earth.]

The Way exists both in heaven and on earth, its flame passed down from generation to generation.

This view is admired by heterodox and unorthodox schools of thought, but rejected by both demonic and righteous paths.

Set aside these thoughts for now, concentrate and continue your cultivation.

Six days passed in the blink of an eye, and you awoke precisely from your meditation.

[He exhaled a breath of turbid air, and pure Yang energy flowed through his body like the rising sun. Through diligent and unremitting practice over this period, he finally cultivated the Pure Yang Skill to the Dragon Court Perfection Realm.]

[You have cultivated multiple techniques, and the magical power within your body is becoming increasingly profound.]

You straightened your clothes, rose, ceased your cultivation, and went into the courtyard to bathe and change.

As the clear spring washes away the dust, the rising sun shines through the sky, and the clouds are ablaze with color.

[Your sealed cultivation level loosened slightly, and your apparent cultivation realm surged towards the Dragon Court, only to be suppressed again, falling from the Heavenly Gate realm, then from the Dao Embryo realm, finally settling firmly at the stage of breaking through to the early Dao Embryo realm.]

Today is the day of the Eighteen Peaks Star-Picking Competition, and the members of Little Green Peak are about to attend.

[You changed into a brand-new blue robe, slung the peach wood sword behind your back, and calmly stepped out of the courtyard, flying through the air to the Shoujing Hall on Xiaoqing Peak.]

Inside the plaza, over a hundred disciples had already gathered.

The young cultivators gathered in small groups, exchanging cultivation insights or showing off their newly acquired magical artifacts; the entire plaza was filled with vibrant energy.

Today is the opening ceremony of the Eighteen Sects Star-Picking Gathering Competition. All sects must travel to the main peak to participate. For the following month, disciples are free to do as they please—morning classes are suspended, and daily tasks are temporarily waived. Such a rare and grand event is naturally eagerly anticipated by everyone.

The gathering of cultivators from all eighteen lineages was truly a rare sight: Dragon Scale Peak disciples, skilled in raising spirit beasts, brought rare and exotic creatures to sell; Fire Cloud Peak cultivators, adept at crafting magical artifacts, displayed a dazzling array of magical treasures; and the fairies of Heavenly Sound Pavilion, renowned for their music, dance, and music, gracefully arrived—although this lineage excelled in the arts, it consistently ranked among the top three of the eighteen lineages due to its effective management.

[Each of the eighteen peaks of Fangcun Mountain has its own strengths: Jian'ao Peak excels in civil engineering, while Hedan Peak specializes in alchemy. Today's grand gathering is the perfect opportunity to witness the profound heritage of these sects.]

Of course, above the eighteen branches, there are also the Herbs and Trees Hall, the Rewards Hall, and the Punishments Hall, all of which are directly under the command of the sect leader.

The authority of the eighteen peak masters cannot surpass that of the three halls; therefore, all disciples consider it a great honor to enter the three halls.

You silently walked to the side.

Occasionally, acquaintances will greet you. In the morning light, you quietly await the arrival of Nie Qingzhu and other masters, so you can lead the Xiaoqing Peak disciples to the Qiyun Peak training ground. Qiyun Peak also has a training ground specially built for the Star-Picking Gathering, capable of accommodating 100,000 people. Even if all the disciples and masters of Fangcun Mountain were present, there would be enough room for maneuver.

Today's ceremony is merely the opening ceremony held at Qiyun Peak. Subsequent competitions will be held in rotation at various peaks of the Eighteen Veins. Only on the day of the final battle will they return to Qiyun Peak to determine the victor, witnessed by tens of thousands.

[Xiao Qingfeng failed to secure the qualification to host the competition, which suggests that the peak has been weakened in recent years, unable to even get a share of such a grand event.]

However, on second thought, it does save us the trouble of preparation, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

As dawn breaks, golden rays bathe the cobblestone square.

The crowd surged forth like a tide, the disciples forming groups, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

The cultivators, who usually practiced rigorous self-cultivation, now revealed their youthful spirit.

[Especially the new disciples who had only been in the sect for a year, their eyes widened with curiosity as they constantly looked around at the unfamiliar senior brothers and sisters.]

You stood alone beneath an ancient pine tree, your elegant figure in a blue robe attracting many gazes.

Whispers drifted into my ears from time to time.

"Is that senior brother new here? I've never seen him before, he's so handsome."

"Shh, that's Senior Brother Zhou Jing. Before I joined Fangcun Mountain, I thought all the senior brothers looked like that."

"Ah! So it's that legendary handsome senior brother... the rumors are true."

"Senior Brother Zhou, do you have a cultivation partner yet?"

"It seems not. Didn't you say you were focusing on cultivation and decided not to discuss a cultivation partner for the next five years?"

"One thing at a time."

"Then you have a very high moral standard. Rumor has it that Senior Sister Lü Qingyu seems to have an ambiguous attitude towards him..."

"No way, isn't Senior Brother You in love with Senior Sister Lü? Has Senior Sister Lü fallen for someone else?"

"Senior Sister Lü, you did the right thing."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves.

Even though you've entered a meditative state, focusing your eyes on your nose, your nose on your mouth, and your mouth on your heart, you can still feel the intense gazes directed at you from those around you.

The warm glow of the morning light accentuated her ethereal beauty.

Several female cultivators had been lingering nearby for some time, their skirts swaying gently, as if they wanted to approach and strike up a conversation.

Before the female cultivators could step forward, a clear, melodious voice came from the side.

"Senior Brother Zhou."

[You turn around and see Lin Shuang standing in the lead, dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe, followed by the Xue Ruyi and her sister.]

[The Xue sisters, hiding behind Wei Zhi, winked at you discreetly, indicating that they had been dragged there, not voluntarily, so it wasn't against the rules, though their faces were full of joy.]

You greeted her with a smile, "So it's Junior Sister Lin."

Lin Shuang's gaze lingered briefly on the peach wood sword behind you, her delicate eyebrows slightly raised.

These days, cultivators who use spirit wood as magical artifacts are indeed rare, let alone a seemingly ordinary peach wood sword like this.

She glanced around and saw many female disciples looking in their direction, and couldn't help but chuckle, "It seems Senior Brother is quite popular in the mountains."

This Senior Brother Zhou actually has quite a reputation on Little Green Peak.

[The fact that Xiao Qingfeng has a handsome senior brother has already spread throughout the neighboring sects.]

[You were slightly exasperated, about to speak.]

A sudden commotion arose in the crowd. Someone shouted, "It's Senior Brother You! Senior Brother Haojie is here!"

As soon as the crowd saw two people descending with their magical artifacts, the disciples all greeted them, "Senior Brother!"

As the senior disciple of Xiao Qingfeng, You Sanfeng naturally held immense prestige, and a smile appeared on his face.

[Haojie was known for his generosity and willingness to help those in need, making him extremely popular within the sect. At this moment, he was surrounded by a crowd, frequently bursting into hearty laughter.]

"Senior Brother Wenlou, and Senior Brother Kosen, have also arrived."

Amidst a chorus of greetings, the newly initiated disciples crowded to the front, all eager to become acquainted with these prominent figures.

The square, which had initially been filled with hushed conversations, became much livelier.

Seeing this, Lin Shuang joked, "Senior Brother Zhou, it seems you're not truly popular."

Compared to these people, you do indeed seem rather unremarkable.

[At this moment!]

Just as you were about to respond, the crowd erupted in an even louder roar than before, like a boulder being thrown into a vast lake.

"Yes, Senior Sister Lü and Senior Sister Xiao."

Two sword lights streaked through the air. As the girl in green sheathed her sword, her robes fluttered. She nodded slightly to her fellow disciples, then her gaze searched the crowd eagerly before finally settling on you. A smile immediately appeared in her eyes.

Wherever the barefoot Senior Sister Xiao passed, the new disciples held their breath, yet couldn't help stealing glances.

[This direction!]

Seeing that the two women seemed to be heading straight here, Lin Shuang glanced at you sideways, a meaningful glint in her eyes.

[You Sanfeng, standing in the crowd, narrowed his eyes slightly.]

Wan Sen's expression remained undisguised; her gaze suddenly turned cold, and her face darkened.

You felt a sense of helplessness; the two women were already standing beside you.

[Lü Qingyu's almond-shaped eyes swept lightly over Lin Shuang, and her willow-leaf brows furrowed.]

Lin Shuang smiled and said, "Senior Sister Lü, Senior Sister."

The whispers in the square grew louder, and countless eyes darted back and forth between you.

[The male disciples, in particular, harbored some resentment.]

You just feel like this wave of attacks has drawn a lot of hatred towards you.

Alas, my grandfather once said that women are trouble, and he was absolutely right.

Fortunately, Elder Nie Qingzhu had already arrived, and the surrounding disciples immediately fell silent.

(End of this chapter)